The most surprising thing about this proficient but unremarkable thriller is the quality of the talent on display. The plotting is standard straight-to-rental action fare, yet the cast (James Woods, Burt Reynolds, Peter Greene, Anne Archer) should lift it out of the ordinary. But sadly that's precisely what it is: ordinary. Cuba Gooding Jr is unconvincing as a Secret Service agent who is racked with guilt over his failure to prevent the assassination of the president (Jack Scalia); Angie Harmon plays the investigative journalist who smells a conspiracy. This marks the directorial debut of stunt expert Andy Cheng, and he stages the action sequences with some aplomb. But you never shake the feeling that Steven Seagal or Wesley Snipes is going to have to turn up at some stage to save the day.

Alex Thomas was the man in charge of protecting the president but, when the time came to fulfill his duties, everything just went wrong. His conscience haunted by a bullet, and his devotion to his country stronger than ever, Alex teams with a seasoned reporter to navigate a treacherous web of lies, unlocking a dangerous conspiracy, and enter a deadly world in which skilled assassins and highly-trained ex-special ops lurk in every shadow.